PREPAREDNESS: ARE WE READY FOR THE DAY BEFORE TOMORROW?

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Homeland Security & Defense Business Council launched its National Series on the State of Homeland Security and released its seventh monograph in its 9/10/11 Project, focusing on how far the public and private sectors have come to increase preparedness efforts and prepare for all hazard events.

Preparedness, when considered in the context of national security, was pretty simple at one time: We protect our borders and we maintain a military as a deterrent or a force against foreign aggression. Today, preparedness extends to all manner of natural and man-made disasters, wherever they may occur, and virtually everything is now a matter of national as well as local concern. This is a relatively new way of thinking in American tradition and experience. It also underscores a widely held view among professionals in the homeland security community that some needed changes in our culture of preparedness may take another generation to mature.

"We are an accomplished nation evolving to become more resilient in our preparedness for emergencies and disasters," said Marc Pearl, Council President & CEO.  "We have demonstrated an ability to learn and adapt, drawing lessons and deriving better and best practices from the catastrophic events that have impacted our communities. We need to participate and encourage the trend toward greater public-private partnership and think more strategically about how we can leverage resources and relationships to a greater degree. Only when we recognize and fully integrate all of our resources - private and public - will we - and the nation achieve a greater level of preparedness."

The Council also launched The National Conversation Series on the State of Homeland Security, its prestigious VIP speaker series that examines critical issues that threaten our homeland security.  These strategic conversations with national leaders from the public, private and non-governmental organizations seek to further the strategic vision and direction of our nation's efforts to secure our homeland.  The inaugural Conversation focused on Preparedness and was held to discuss the strategic direction of the nation's preparedness agenda.  The event featured W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, FEMA; Gail McGovern, President & CEO, The American Red Cross; and Jack Mayer, Executive Vice President, Booz Allen Hamilton & Chairman of the Council.  The podcast of the event will soon be available on the Council's website www.homelandcouncil.org on March 18.

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About the Council
The Homeland Security & Defense Business Council is a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization of the leading companies that bring homeland security solutions to the marketplace.  The Council works to ensure that the perspective, innovation, expertise and capabilities of the private sector are recognized, respected and integrated with the public sector.  For more information, please visit: www.homelandcouncil.org.

CONTACT: KRISTINA TANASICHUK
 (202) 470-6440  
ktanasichuk@homelandcouncil.org

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